The present disclosure relates to body state detecting apparatus (physical condition detecting device) using a load detector(s), and a bed system including the body state detecting apparatus. Further, the present disclosure relates to a body state detecting method (physical condition detecting method) using the load detector(s).
Systems for managing, from a remote place, patients and/or persons receiving nursing care on their beds are utilized in hospitals, care facilities and the like. For example, if a system is used in a hospital to detect a patient's present (exist, settling) on/leaving (absent) from the bed, then the nurses in the nurse station can check whether or not the patient is on the bed in his/her room without visiting the room.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2008-264338 discloses a present-on-the-bed detecting method in which a load detecting means are arranged under each of the four feet of a bed so as to determine whether or not a subject is present on the bed on the basis of the outputs of those load detecting means. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2014-180432 discloses a motion detecting apparatus configured to identify the center of gravity position of a subject on the bed on the basis of the outputs of four load sensors arranged respectively under the four feet of the bed.